About LMC's Best of Lamorinda

For the last three years, Lamorinda Moms Club has conducted a survey to determine member favorites in a variety of categories related to raising kids, eating, shopping, exercising and looking good! In addition to creating a resource list of winners for our members, we also publicly recognize the outstanding local vendors via winner certificates, while also increasing community awareness of LMC.

The 2007 Survey is summarized below. Check out this years’ 2007 winners’ list as well as the 2007 survey results for more detail, including the lists of all nominees and the number of votes received in each category. See Methodology to learn how the survey was conducted. Since this years' survey complemented last years', you can also view the 2006 winners' list here as well as the 2006 survey results.

2007 Survey Overview

An incredible 172 members, or 45% of the membership at the time, completed the 3rd annual survey, passing along the collective wisdom to the club. The survey was conducted from October 23, 2006 through November 17, 2006.

This year’s survey focused on helping Mom do all the amazing things she does for her family, while also reminding her to take time for herself! From planning and preparing meals, selecting activities for the kids and family, taking time to connect with the hubby, to getting out with the girls and fighting that frump! While not all winners are located in Lamorinda, they most certainly serve the Lamorinda family. 

The survey was designed to compliment last years’ by keeping core categories, while adding new categories our members thought would be useful and fun. Therefore, we did not repeat the 2006 survey’s comprehensive list of kids’ classes, or ethnic restaurants, since we did not feel these categories would change much in a year.

While many of you wanted recommendations for medical and household professionals, unfortunately, as we have learned from this and previous years’ surveys, these categories are too crowded to result in winners for this kind of survey. A good resource for these categories can be found on the Member Recommendations section of the LMC website.

2007 Winner Summary

This is the place to go to get expert opinions on topics near and dear to your hearts!

When it comes to the kids, you love local parks like Moraga Commons and the Lafayette Reservoir, but when the heat sets in you head out to Hap Magee park in Danville, or Waterworld in Concord. Walnut Creek hosts many of the great shops for kids, The Right Start, Pottery Barn Kids and Barnes & Noble.

When heading out of town with the family, favorite destinations include Tahoe for skiing at Squaw Valley USA and Hawaii, especially Maui. Pixieland in Concord makes a great local amusement park outing, and Disney Cruise Line offers the best cruise. Practically speaking, you favor driving to the airport and using Park N Fly, and boarding your pets at Lafayette Animal Hospital.

In our never ending quest to fight the frump, you trusted places like Entourage, Spa Claremont, and Nordstrom. You liked Pinkies Nail Salon for nails and Tiffany & Co. for your jewelry. For specialty items, Target (sportswear), Mimi Maternity (maternity wear) and Ann Taylor (petites) got the most votes. Dermatologist Dr. Kristin Walker in Orinda, keeps our skin looking good, and was the only doctor to win a medical category outright (you seem to each have your own favorite doctors!).

Not to forget dear ‘ole hubby, favorite spots for dates locally included Va de Vi, Postino, Pizza Antica, Il Fornaio, Chow, and Cold Stone Creamery. For those times when you were willing to drive a little further, Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, Slanted Door in San Francisco, Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel topped the lists. Other favorites included Commonwealth Club of California for lively speakers, Dean Lesher for live theater, and Century Theater for movies. For the ultimate weekend getaway, the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay could not be beat.

As for getting together with your girl friends, Oakwood, Spa Claremont, and Pinkies Nail Salon are great places for activities, where as Lafayette Reservoir, Papillon Gourmet Coffees, Starbucks, and Lafayette Circle Café and Tea Room were great places to get caught up. For that getaway with the girls, you chose Sonoma Mission Inn Spa.

For moms in a pinch, you rely on Trader Joe’s, The Full Plate, Whole Foods, and local farmer’s markets for home prepared meals.  When doing “take out” you liked Zachary’s, Chow Ciao, and Roundtable. Finally, knowing that David M. Brian, Twigs, Boswell’s and Papyrus are close at hand, makes those special occasions in our lives a little easier. 

Methodology 

The 2007 survey categories evolved from those of 2006, and suggestions provided at the October 2006 LMC monthly meeting. The voting options were created from nominations of 25 LMC members, and supplemented with the 2006 nominee lists and other research.

A link to an online survey (using Survey Monkey) was emailed to the entire membership, with multiple reminders to those that had not responded. Over the course of four weeks, 172 members voted on 95 categories. Each LMC member was eligible to vote once. Not everyone voted in all categories. Categories were presented in the order reported here, but nominees were randomized in each category to avoid bias. To encourage participation, we offered voters an opportunity to win a $125 Spa Claremont gift certificate.

Winners were those that received the most votes, regardless of whether they were nominees or write-ins. There were no write-in winners. If a category did not receive 34 (20% of total) votes, or no single winner received more than 17 (10% of total) votes, we did not select a winner. The latter happened in a few crowded categories (e.g., medical professionals), or where the overall votes were low (e.g., nanny service). There was one close vote where two winners were selected.

Local winners received a letter informing them of the win, as well as information about LMC. They also received a certificate suitable for framing and posting in their place of business, and a copy of the LMC newsletter article listing all winners. We hope to repeat this survey annually, as a service both to our members and to the community at large.

2007 Winners List

CHILDREN: Activities with the Kids!

• Place to spend a rainy day: Home
• Place to spend a hot day: Hap Magee, Danville
• Waterpark: Waterworld, Concord
• Park for children of multiple ages: Moraga Commons
• Place to go with a crawler/beginning walker:  Gymboree, Lafayette
• Place to go for gymnastics classes: Oakwood Athletic Club, Lafayette
• Place to have swim lessons: Sherman Swim School, Lafayette
• Summer camp: Roughing It Day Camp, Lafayette
• Local beach: Stinson Beach, Marin
• Petting zoo: Oakland Zoo
• Place to have a picnic: Moraga Commons
• Place to walk/hike with kids: Lafayette Reservoir
• Place to buy infant/toddler specialty items: The Right Start, Walnut Creek 
• Place to buy kid's furniture: Pottery Barn Kids, Walnut Creek
• Family bookstore: Barnes & Noble, Walnut Creek

VACATIONS: Adventures with the Family!

• Weekend getaway for the family: Tahoe
• Family vacation destination: Hawaii
• Local amusement / theme park: Pixieland, Concord
• Ski resort: Squaw Valley USA
• Hawaiian island for a family vacation: Maui
• Family cruise: Disney Cruise Line
• Way to get the family to the airport: Drive and use Park 'N Fly
• Place/kennel to board your pet: Lafayette Animal Hospital

STYLE: Fight the Frump!

• Place to get your hair cut: Entourage, Orinda
• Place to get your hair colored: Entourage, Orinda
• Place to have a facial: Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Place to have your makeup done: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Place to have a wax: Entourage, Orinda
• Place to get a manicure/pedicure: Pinkies Nail Salon, Lafayette
• Place to buy jewelry: Tiffany & Co., Walnut Creek
• Place to buy women’s clothing & accessories: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy women’s shoes: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy women’s sportswear: Target, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy maternity clothes: Mimi Maternity, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy petite clothes: Ann Taylor, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy lingerie: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Dermatologist (including cosmetic laser, photo, botox): Dr. Kristin Walker, Orinda

ROMANCE: Dates with the Hubby!

• Place for an inexpensive romantic dinner: Pizza Antica, Lafayette
• Place for an expensive romantic dinner: Postino, Lafayette
• Ethnic restaurant: Slanted Door (Vietnamese), San Francisco
• Place for cocktails: Va De Vi, Walnut Creek
• Place for desserts: Cold Stone Creamery, Lafayette
• Place for brunch: Chow, Lafayette
• Place for live music: Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, Oakland and Concert in the Park, Orinda (Summer)
• Place for dancing: The Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
• Place for live theater: Dean Lesher, Walnut Creek
• Lecture series: Commonwealth Club of California
• Movie Theater: Century Theater, Walnut Creek
• Golf course: Tilden, Berkeley
• Place to double date: Il Fornaio, Walnut Creek
• Place for a romantic weekend getaway: Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay

FUN: Outings with the Girls!

• Day spa: Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Place to have a massage: Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Gym: Oakwood Athletic Club, Lafayette
• Place to practice yoga: Oakwood Athletic Club, Lafayette
• Coffee house: Papillon Gourmet Coffees, Lafayette
• Tea bar: Lafayette Circle Café and Tea Room
• Place to gab: Starbucks, Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda
• Place to have a mom’s night out: Mani/Pedi at Pinkies Nail Salon, Lafayette
• Place to hike/walk: Lafayette Reservoir Paved Path
• Getaway with the girls in Napa/Sonoma: Sonoma Mission Inn Spa

IN A PINCH: Mommy's Little Helpers

• Place to self-assemble meals for the freezer: The Full Plate, Walnut Creek
• Place to get ready-to-cook (quick prep) meals: Trader Joe’s, Lafayette
• Place to take cooking classes: Home Chef, Walnut Creek
• Place to buy organic food: Whole Foods, Walnut Creek
• Place to get fresh produce: Farmer’s Market, Moraga/Orinda/Walnut Creek
• Grocery store: Trader Joe's, Lafayette
• Place to go for take-out: Zachary’s Pizza, Rockridge
• Home delivery: Round Table Pizza, Lafayette
• Catering service: Chow, Ciao (Susan Foord Catering & Event Planning), Lafayette
• Place to go for thank you gifts: David M Brian, Walnut Creek
• Place to get gifts for Dad: Barnes & Noble, Walnut Creek
• Plant nursery: Orchard Nursery, Lafayette
• Florist: Twigs, Lafayette
• Bakery for kid’s birthday cakes: Safeway, Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda
• Place to go for party supplies: Boswell's, Lafayette
• Place to get cards (e.g., Birth Announcements, Holiday): Papyrus, Lafayette
• Babysitting resource: St. Mary’s College Job Board
• Drop-in day care: Tot Drop, Lafayette

For more detail, including the lists of all nominees and the number of votes received in each category, view the 2007 full survey results. 

2006 Winners List

• Women’s Hair Salon: Entourage, Orinda
• Hair Colorist: Entourage, Orinda
• Facial : Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Massage: Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Waxing: Entourage, Orinda
• Manicure/Pedicure: Pinkies, Lafayette
• Make-up: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Maternity Clothes: Gap, San Francisco; Mimi Maternity, Walnut Creek
• Day Spa: Spa Claremont, Berkeley
• Women’s Shoes: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Women’s Boutique: Specialtees, Lafayette
• Consignment Store, Adult: Main Street Rags, Walnut Creek
• Men’s Clothes: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Men’s Tailor: Nordstrom, Walnut Creek
• Vintage Clothing: Jeremy’s, Berkeley/San Francisco

• Kids’ Clothes: Gap, Walnut Creek
• Kids’ Salon: Cool Tops, Lafayette
• Birthday Party Spot: Home
• Dance Lessons: Kids N Dance, Lafayette
• Swimming Lessons: Harriet Plummer Aquatic School, Lafayette
• Music Class: Music Together, Community Centers
• Gym Class: Kindergym, Community Centers
• Museum: Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
• Rainy Day Spot: Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek
• Place to Learn to Ride a Bike: Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail; My own driveway/street
• Playground: Moraga Commons
• Sportswear: Landsend.com
• Consignment: They Grow So Fast, Lafayette
• Outdoor Adventure: Oakland Zoo
• Children’s Entertainer: Thomas The Tank Engine
• Family Weekend Getaway: Lake Tahoe
• Day Care Facilities: Tot Drop, Lafayette
• Kids’ Ski School: Northstar
• Kids’ Bookstore: Storyteller, Lafayette
• Toy Store: Sweet Dreams, Orinda
• Summer Camp: Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
• Babysitting Resource: St. Mary’s College, Moraga
• Fun Restaurant: Round Table Pizza, Lafayette

• Family Friendly: Chow, Lafayette
• Fine Dining: Postino, Lafayette
• Take Out: Uncle Yu’s, Lafayette
• Delivery: Round Table Pizza, Lafayette/Moraga
• Breakfast Place: Millie’s Kitchen, Lafayette
• Coffeehouse: Starbucks
• Brewpub: Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek
• Cocktails: Bistro at Lafayette Park Hotel, Lafayette; Paragon at Claremont Hotel, Berkeley
• Cooking School: Home Chef, Walnut Creek
• Quick Prep Meals: Trader Joe’s, Lafayette
• Outdoor Dining: Chow, Lafayette
• Chinese: Uncle Yu’s, Lafayette
• Indian: Breads of India, Walnut Creek
• Italian: Postino, Lafayette
• Japanese: Blue Ginko, Lafayette
• Mexican: Celia’s, Lafayette; El Charro, Lafayette
• Thai: Siam Orchid, Orinda; Amarin Thai, Lafayette
• Steak House: Ruth’s Chris, Walnut Creek
• Seafood: Scott’s, Walnut Creek
• Pizza: Zachary’s Pizza, Oakland
• Desserts: Cold Stone Creamery, Lafayette

• Live Music, Nightclub: Concerts in the Park, Moraga/Orinda
• Golf Course: Tilden, Berkeley
• Movie Theater: Orinda Theatre, Orinda
• Ski Resort: Squaw Valley
• Garden: Orchard Nursery, Lafayette

• Biking: Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail
• Gym: Oakwood Athletic Club, Lafayette
• Hiking: Tilden, Berkeley
• Yoga Studio: Oakwood Athletic Club, Lafayette
• Primary Care Physician: Dr. Huie, Orinda
• Dentist, Pediatric: Dr. Katsura, Orinda; Dr. Spencer, Walnut Creek

• Antiques: Hen House, Lafayette
• Pet Shop: Nitro Dog, Lafayette
• Bike Shop: Hank & Frank, Lafayette
• Furniture Store: Crate & Barrel, Walnut Creek
• Gift Shop: David M Brian, Walnut Creek
• Home Accessories: Crate & Barrel, Walnut Creek
• Nursery: Orchard Nursery, Lafayette
• Wine Shop: Wine Thieves, Lafayette
• Florist: Impressions, Orinda
• Bookstore: Barnes & Noble, Walnut Creek
• Music Store: Rasputin, Berkeley/Pleasant Hill; Border’s, Pleasant Hill
• Pooch Parlor: Clip Joint, Lafayette
• Ski Shop: Any Mountain, Berkeley/Concord
• Yarn Shop: Big Sky, Lafayette
• DVD Rental: Netflix.com
• Hardware Store: Ace Hardware, Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda
• Photographer: Christina Shook, Orinda 
  

For more detail, including the lists of all nominees and the number of votes received in each category, view the 2006 full survey results. 

You can also view the 2005 survey results.

For more information on the Lamorinda Moms Club’s Best of Lamorinda survey, please contact us.

For additional member suggestions in a wide variety of categories, view Member Recommendations.